Hillary Clinton was set to exit the US
presidential race Saturday and endorse presumptive Democratic nominee Barack
Obama, who clinched his party's nod for the general election earlier this week,
dpa reported.
At an event before hundreds of supporters and reporters in Washington, Clinton was expected to call for party unity after a bitter five-month battle that saw a
series of state primaries held across the United States.
Obama and Clinton met privately Thursday night to discuss a way forward and
secure victory for the Democratic Party in November.
Obama had formally launched his general election campaign earlier in the day
with a series of rallies in Virginia after capturing the nomination on Tuesday.
At the early stages, a tight race was expected between the 46- year-old Illinois senator and presumptive Republican nominee John McCain, aged 71.
Supporters chanted "Hillary" at the National Building Museum in Washington shortly before the former first lady and New York senator was set to take
the stage.
Clinton is still a possibility for the vice-presidential slot. Polls show a
majority of Democrats support Obama picking his former rival, creating was has
been dubbed the "dream ticket."